Erik Gets a Lesson in Anthropology
by Robika
Summary: [ONESHOT] After Christine leaves him, Erik decides to kidnap young Fay to keep as a companion so his loneliness doesn't drive him crazy again. Poor Fay is growing up, and is having many problems... Rated T for adolescent themes.


Erik Gets a Lesson in Anthropology

"Fay! Stop banging your head against the wall! I can't concentrate!" Erik yelled from his seat at the organ to the young girl on the other side of the lair. Since Christine had left him, Erik had taken a new interest: Fay. She was very young, only 12 or so, a member of the Opera's chorus and ballet. The opera crew had long since forgotten about Erik; as they were so busy rebuilding their opera house. Erik kept a low profile, not causing much mayhem anymore. He needed a companion. Erik enjoyed the father-daughter relationship between them since he had taken her. She was still acting out about the whole ordeal, even though it had been a few weeks already.

"You can't make me stop!" Fay yelled back. "Maybe if I keep at it, someone will hear me from above and come investigate and take me away from this place!"

"Don't make me come over there!" Erik yelled right back. "Is it really so bad here?"

Fay banged her head against the wall again. "Yes! Why are you keeping me here?"

Erik felt a twinge of pity for the child. "Is it right of me to keep this child here against her will just so I can have a companion?" he shrugged. "What have I ever cared for right and wrong?" He got up and walked to where Fay was. "Don't cry! I need someone to talk to. You know the stories. You know how I get when there's no one there."

Fay shot Erik a sour look, "Why me? I was just starting to be popular, get some more important roles in the ballets, why did you ruin my life?"

Erik hated it when Fay got all sentimental on him. "I can teach you how to sing, I can show you how to throw your voice, I'll teach you how the opera works, all the backstage mechanics of it all. You can be my successor! Think how much fun it would be. Did you ever hear the story of when a backdrop fell on Carlotta? I can show you how to do it!"

Fay's crying ebbed into minor sniveling, "But I had a life! I don't want to turn out like _you_!" she yelled, reigniting her anger just to annoy Erik.

This ploy worked, "And what is that supposed to mean, young lady?" Erik fumed. "I'm not that bad of a guy, am I? So I've got some anger management issues, everyone has their problems! Come off it, you'll feel better after you hear the new song I've been working on." He took her hand in his. With the other, he wiped her tears. "There, there. It'll be okay."

"How can it be okay…?" Fay mumbled, hanging her head in submission. She followed Erik to the organ bench and sat down. "Go ahead, play your stupid song."

Erik sat down beside her, stretching his fingers in preparation. He struck a soft chord, then another. Fay detected a soft melody from the lower notes. The song calmed her, making her very sleepy. Erik smiled slightly, he knew it would work. He hummed the melody as Fay leaned against him, eyes shut. It was a slow melody with a few turns and trills added for interest. Otherwise it would be a bit too calming and might turn boring. It was in a minor key, occasionally switching to a harmonic minor or augmented major.

Erik listened to the last chords fade away, Fay's breathing becoming loud as she fell deeper into sleep. Gently, Erik wrapped his arm around her to keep her in place as he stood. Then he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. Erik tucked her into bed as he wondered what time it was. Without any natural light, there was no way of telling the time.

Erik had just gotten back from robbing the opera house's kitchens the next morning when Fay woke up. He had set up a great breakfast, apples, pears, and oatmeal still lukewarm from the kitchen's hearth. He saw Fay walk in from her room just as he sat down to eat. "Hey! Good morning! Come have some breakfast," he said cheerfully. Erik was a morning person. Odd, come to think of it, but yes, he was. He was because everyone else in the opera house wasn't a morning person, so morning made for the best time to set up the pranks for the day.

"No, I'm not hungry," Fay answered, yawning as she headed for the bathroom. Erik had designed the opera house, so of course he installed a bathroom for his lair. He was also way ahead of his time in the field of indoor plumbing.

By the time Erik had finished his breakfast, Fay still had not come out of the bathroom. "Fay?" he said tentatively, standing outside the bathroom door. "Fay, you're not drowning yourself again, are you?"

"No, I'm not, Erik."

"Then would you mind coming out of there sometime soon? There are other people in this lair who need to use the bathroom!"

"Sorry!" Fay yelled sarcastically.

"Don't you get sassy with me, missy!" Erik snapped back.

"Erik! I don't need you to deal with right now!" Fay said with despair in her voice.

Erik was taken aback. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Go away!" Fay screamed.

"Sheesh!" Erik muttered as he stalked off.

When Fay emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, Erik exclaimed, "Finally!" and ran right in. When he found her later, she was sitting on her bed with her arms crossed. Erik was concerned. "Are you feeling alright, Fay?" he asked, peering in from the doorway.

"No, go away." Fay said, clutching her stomach as if speaking caused her pain.

"Do you want any breakfast?" Erik asked.

"No, go away."

"Tell me if you need anything, alright?"

"I need you to go away."

Erik was very confused. Normally when Fay acted out, she was angry in a more expressive manner. He closed the door and went back to his desk to compose a poem. He liked writing lyrics to his songs; it made them easier to sing and to memorize. The trouble was making his song rhyme. He had difficulty fitting in the correct number of syllables while making the verses rhyme.

Erik sat at his desk for a long time, filling up many scrolls of parchment with scribbled out lyrics and music notation. "Erik?" Fay's voice said timidly from behind him. "Erik, can I talk to you?"

Erik pushed his chair back from the desk and turned to face Fay. "Yeah… what is it?"

Fay wrung her hands nervously, "I've got a problem… please can you let me go? I need to get out of here."

Erik shook his head, "We've all got our problems. I need you here with me. I need somebody to talk to."

Fay was too nervous to get mad, "Erik! You don't understand."

"Well, what's wrong? You can tell me. I won't get mad, I promise."

Fay looked like she was about to be sick, "I've got a really bad stomach ache."

"You're probably just hungry; eat some food. I got apples, pears, oatmeal…"

Fay shook her head, "No, I'm not hungry. There's something else, too…"

Erik looked at Fay with calculating eyes, "Out with it."

"Have you ever started bleeding but you don't remember getting cut?" Fay asked, in a small voice.

Erik raised a brow, "No, I don't believe I have. Do you need a bandage? Where are you bleeding?" He got up, walking over to the poor girl.

Fay backed away as Erik approached, "I don't want to talk about it."

Erik shrugged, "You brought it up in the first place. It's okay, you can tell me."

Fay stamped her foot, "I hate you, Erik! I hate you! Why me?" she wailed.

Erik stopped walking towards Fay, "Shhhh, you'll be okay. There, there. Tell Erik so he can make it better. Come on, Fay. You'll feel better if you get it off your chest."

Fay's hands moved away from her stomach and down to her hips, "I'm bleeding here," she said, grimacing as her hands reached that spot between her legs.

Erik cleared his throat. He had very little knowledge of the female body and had no idea what to make of it. "That's okay, Fay. Erik will make it better." He embraced the sobbing girl, murmuring soft consolations in her ear.

Mme. Giry was just finishing a letter to the managers when she heard a knock on her office door. "Come," she said, sealing the letter with wax. She looked up and gasped in surprise as Erik and the recently gone missing Fay. "Erik, what are you doing here? Fay! Where have you…" Mme. Giry stopped as she pieced two and two together. "Erik! How dare you kidnap one of my dancers! You are not above the law. I demand that you release her at once! I can't believe you, Monsieur!"

Erik put up a hand to quiet Mme. Giry. "Please, Madam. Fay needs to speak to you." Erik ushered the still sniveling girl into the office as he left. He waited outside for about twenty minutes before the door opened again. He entered, looking at Mme. Giry's firm expression.

"Really, Erik, Fay needs to be with others. You've managed just fine for years one your own. Monsieur, she can't live with you. I – I can't let you take her again!"

Erik was surprised at Mme. Giry's forcefulness. "I went crazy! I didn't manage well at all! I need someone to be with. I can't live without someone else." He replied, getting all fired up about it.

Fay collapsed into tears once more at Erik's coldness. "Erik, you don't understand… please…"

"Well then tell me! What's the problem?" Erik shouted, impatient with the whole situation. Couldn't they see how it affected him when he was alone for such a long time?

"Monsieur, it's a feminine problem, I don't feel comfortable discussing it with you. Please, Erik. Let her go. She needs guidance. She's growing up. It's a stressful time for all girls, let alone one who's been kidnapped by a mad genius!" A hand flew to her mouth, as Mme. Giry realized what she had said. "Erik… I didn't mean…"

"I know what you mean, Madam. Fay and I are leaving. I don't know why I thought you could help, but it seems this visit was a waste of time. Come one, Fay, we're leaving now."

"No!" Mme. Giry stood in the way of Erik and Fay, who had back herself into a corner, tears streaming down her face. "Erik, be reasonable. Adolescence is a difficult stage in life, Fay needs female guidance. She can't stay with you."

"Well Mme. Giry, I'd be more than happy to take you along too!" Erik's eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm warning you…" he growled.

"Angel of music, why this torment? When will you see reason?" Mme. Giry sang, trying to calm Erik's growing rage.

Erik snickered, "Is that supposed to make me feel better, Madam? Well it's not working!" he pushed Mme. Giry aside and grabbed Fay's arm. "Good day to you, Madam!" he said sarcastically at the crumpled figure he had just shoved out of the way.

"Erik, please!" Fay cried. "Oh God, Erik! I hate you! You don't understand! Please!"

"You are going to be quiet!" Erik hissed, pulling her down through a hidden passage in the opera house.

Fay stopped immediately, body shaking from fear and silent sobs. They made their way back to Erik's lair. Fay was shut in her bedroom as Erik tried with all his might not to break anything or anyone as an outlet of his rage.

Erik sat down at his organ and began a furious and dissonant melody, not bothering to write it down. He played until his anger subsided, an hour or two later. Then Erik got up and went into Fay's room. "Are you hungry?" he asked, pretending like the events of the day hadn't happened.

"Yes," Fay whispered, curled in her bed with a dark spot on her pillow from the tears she had shed.

"Okay," Erik replied, walking out of the room to fix her some food.

Fay came out a few minutes later, when Erik called for her. She ate ravenously. "I still have a stomach ache," she muttered spitefully.

"What did you say?" Erik said in a dangerous voice.

"I said, 'Thank you very much, good monsieur, for this meal which you have so kindly prepared for me.'"

"I thought so," Erik said, still in a warning tone.

Fay sat in silence for a while as Erik cleaned up. "Erik. We need to talk."

"Alright," Erik sighed, setting the dishrag down and sitting in the chair across from Fay at the small table.

"…So _that's_ why Mme. Giry is always in a bad mood at the end of the month!" Erik exclaimed after Fay had finished speaking. "Wow, who knew? Girls are so weird," he mused, leaning back in his chair.

"Erik!" Fay said, blushing. "You promised you'd handle this like a mature adult."

"I was only joking," Erik replied. "So this is why you made such a big deal about it. I'm sorry. If I had known, I would've… Well, I probably would've done the same thing, but that's beside the point."

Fay sighed, "Do you see why I can't stay with you? I need to get back to _my_ life. You can always visit. I can be the next Christine Daaé. Songs in my head and all that. And you've got Mme. Giry to talk to! And a whole opera house to annoy! Erik, you know you've got a bad life. If you keep me here, then I'll turn out like you, bipolar and crazy and stuff. Could you live with yourself is you knew you were responsible for that? I promise I'll visit you sometimes. But I need to go back to my life. Erik," Fay pleaded, tears welling up yet again. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it. But I need to go back!"

Erik closed his eyes, aware of his masked face and his sad existence. "I get so lonely. It really drives me crazy. I have nothing to do but write music, wreak havoc, blah blah blah! But no one to share it with. It's so depressing; sometimes I want to end it all. I just wish there could be someone there for me."

"'Child of the Wilderness', Erik. Need I say more?" Fay grinned, picking the worst time for humor.

Erik smiled back wryly. "I guess not. I shall escort you back to Mme. Giry and apologize for my behavior. I will miss you, Fay." Erik rose, holding out his hand to Fay.

Fay placed her hand in his, and they walked together towards the gondola.

Mme. Giry was in the middle of rehearsal when she noticed that Fay was there. "Fay! You're – you're back!" She ran to hug the child. "I was so worried about you! I had half a mind to follow you and get you myself!" She stopped there; realizing thirty pairs of eyes were upon her. "Well. Go get yourself settled back in and meet me in my office after practice." She straightened up. "Ready, from the top! Five, six, seven, eight!"

After practice, Mme. Giry entered her office to find Erik sitting at her writing desk. "Erik, I'm pleased with you. You did the right thing. I'm not mad at you."

Erik muttered something incomprehensible. Mme. Giry walked over and rested her hand on his shoulder. "She won't forget you," she whispered in his ear. Then a knock was heard on the door. Mme. Giry turned around and saw Fay walk in. "Hello, Fay. I was just..." she explained, turning back around to face Erik, but he was gone. "I was just thinking about how surprised I was when I saw you at the evening rehearsal. Well, you have much to catch up on, so let's go and get you up to date on the new dances we've learned…"


End file.
